Research
One of the biggest steps of digging into any topic is making sure that you are using good sources. It is easy to be fooled by false information on social media or the internet.
The following links will help you judge if the information is true or not:
- Toronto Public Library has a guide to help you spot fake news with questions to ask when accessing a source.
- MediaSmarts is a Canadian non-profit that aims to help people gain the critical thinking skills required to engage with digital media and has a special section for parents.
- The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has an infographic to help you spot fake news.
- Fake social media accounts, bots, and trolls are dangerous for spreading information that isn’t true. Learn how to spot them here.
- Several sites help in quick fact-checking so that you can tell if something you are reading is false. Try Snopes, FactCheck.org or Politifact.
- News sources can favour one side in their reporting. Check news sources at Media Bias/Fact Check for bias.
Below you will find a collection of digital research platforms where you can search for information on a topic that is often peer-reviewed by other experts on that subject.
When using the research resources with your library card, you can limit your search results to “full text”. This means you will only get results that can be read online.
Each resource will have different options for searching and sharing, but once you are reading an article, look to see if the resource has options to:
- Share the article by email or cloud saving
- Copy citation information
- Translate the article into another language
For more support, check out the “Need More Help?” section on each resource’s access page or speak with staff.